One Picture
by xKitxKat
Summary: They say that a picture is worth a 1,000 words, but sometimes, there are none to describe it. JONAS. Joe/Stella. One-Shot.


One Picture

This date was not going well. In fact, I could almost call it was going horribly. And I have been on some horrible dates. The latest included me rushing home because Joe got pen marks on his shirt. Accidentally on purpose.

Geeze- I just called that firehouse home! I really need to get over Joe! He's my big/little/twin brother! I'll never go out with him! I've known him for to long and know too much about him!

I tried to pull myself back to my current date with Joel. He was cool and all, but he really wasn't the guy you date, he's you best friend kinda guy. And you certainly don't take him to dinner for said date/dates. You take him to a baseball game or a hockey game. Not even Friday's is casual enough! And it's freakin' Friday's!! The most casual restaurant in the world!

When we got here and met up, Joel getting here 15 minutes late, we had to wait for another 20 minutes. We had just hit the Saturday night rush.

Having to wait, we used up the basic conversation topic: school, why he was late, complaining about the wait, the usual.

Me being the wonderful Stella that I am, I managed to drag out the conversation until the appetizers came.

I have to say that the food couldn't have come any sooner. It provided an excellent distraction and allowed me to get lost in my own thoughts.

The way that this dinner was going, it seems unlikely that there is going to be a second date. Which I was thankful for and disappointed by.

Thankful for because if I finally tell Joe how I feel, we can go on dates ourselves. I knew the boy liked me and I like him to way too much.

But I was disappointed because I lost the chance to avoid telling Joe for another few days.

Joel and I talked about sports a little and current events for a bit. (Michael Jackson is still dead!!! Get over it people!!!) Then our food finally came.

I once again welcomed the distraction.

I daydreamed a bit about asking Joe out, and him in Joel's place, but I snapped myself out of it before it became obvious.

Thankfully neither of us was slow eaters, and the entrées were gone quickly. I passed on dessert; eager to leave and so did Joel.

We each left with a simple "See you at school".

I got over to my car and drove home on autopilot, my mind six blocks away.

* * *

As soon as I got home, I went straight to my closet, and went into the farthest corner, pulled out a box and started rummaging around, until I found what I was looking for. Pulling it out with a cry of triumph.

I flipped through the scrapbook until I found what I was looking for: a picture of 5-year-old Joe and myself holding hands, and looking adorable.

Wow, life was so easy then. Nothing was official or serious, even if it seemed like it was. I wish it was more like that now. This Joe thing was getting to serious.

And for some reason I started to cry.

I guessed it was jus me finally releasing all of my frustrations and confusion.

I've been doing this quite a bit lately. Particularly after Joe's fashion issues. First the night it happened, out of hate and sadness. Then after the meeting with the Queen because I was annoyed at him. And finally after school the day we choose to stay out of each other's personal lives. This time with pain and disappointment.

I really didn't know how hard I'd been crying, or for how long, until I heard that voice that I was all too familiar with.

"Stella, are you okay? Stella, what's wrong?"

"Go away. You wouldn't understand and don't want to know anyway."

"No, I do want to know. I care about you. And anyway, I've known you for too long not to care."

"NO. Go AWAY." I said in a dry, weak, cracked voice.

That was when he saw what was in my lap, the plastic page protector wet with tears. He took the book from me with a grunt, and saw the picture.

"Oh Stella… I. You. But. No. Stella…"

"Yes." I answered, with as much anger as I could manage. "Yes Joe."

"No Stella, not in a mean way, in a… A… Wow."

Then I felt his lips on mine. My tears stopped flowing immediately, but they still welled in my eyes, disbelieving.

"Joe. I. You. Kiss. What? Why? Huh? Wow."

He chuckled at my stuttering, and instead of explaining anything, he kissed me again.

Now that I wasn't in such shock, I was able to return the kiss, and feel the satisfaction; the electricity that was coming from our lips. This is what every kiss should have felt like. This is what was missing from every other kiss I've ever had.

When we finally pulled back a little, I rested my forehead on his and sighed. Then it came to me:

"Why are you here anyway?"

He chuckled, "Way to ruin the moment Stells." Then he continued, "We were supposed to be having a band meeting and when you didn't show up after 15 minutes, I volunteered to come find you. I figured I'd try your house first, start with the obvious, incase you had forgotten. But I doubted that. Them your mom answered the door and said that you were in your room. Which I thought was odd, because you would never miss a band meeting. You like seeing me to much."

His last line got a smile from each of us.

He continued, "I knocked on your door, and when you didn't answer, I just came in.

"Then I saw your closet door ajar and heard sobs, and I came in. And, you know, the rest is history."

"Wow Joe."

"Yeah, I know. By the way, how was that date with what-his-face?"

"Eh. It was all right. But I think I like this date better."

"Your right."

"Oh, I guess that band meeting is gonna have to be reschedule."

And as he leaned into kiss me once again, he gave me my answer.

**A/N: Hope you guys liked that! Press that little green button down there, it'll make him less lonely!!**


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